


Unnamed Female

by TheNerdVoice



Series: The Last Mission [3]
Category: Holby City
Genre: Charlotte is a Wolfe, Detective Work, F/F, Family, Gen, Holy Mob Boss, Medical Jargon, Medical issues, Sibling Sparring, back from the dead, seeing ghosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-02-23 13:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23678935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNerdVoice/pseuds/TheNerdVoice
Summary: Adrienne McKinnie decides Serena Campbell has suffered long enough and deserves a little more happiness in her life, besides having Bernie Wolfe return to her. However, will that gift simply be too much for Serena to handle at this time of her life?Occurs five to six months after the last story.
Relationships: Charlotte Dunn & Bernie Wolfe, Serena Campbell & Charlotte Dunn, Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe
Series: The Last Mission [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1438342
Comments: 38
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I, honestly, was not expecting to carry on with this.
> 
> Yet here it is. *shrug*

“I, honestly, don’t need you to follow me around.” Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Wolfe flips through a manila folder containing papers on her desk. The space was meticulously organized, even decorated with various types of succulents. “I’m perfectly fine...and you’re the new one here, not me.”

“New?” Bernie Wolfe furrows her brow, looking over toward her daughter as she leans against the door frame to the young woman’s office, “more like returning to an old haunt.” She glances around the space, “I do like it though, what you’ve done in here. You’re lucky you don’t have to share an office.”

“You share your office with your wife. I’ve seen the two of you close the blinds on occasion when she visits.” Her eyes lift up, meeting her mother’s, “reckon the two of you don’t mind sharing all that much.” Serena was still on her leave in order to recover a bit more.

Blushing, Bernie turns her head, suddenly finding the porcupine-like succulent interesting, situated on a filing cabinet near the door. “She’s eager to return to work. Goes a bit stir crazy at home, especially since giving up the drink.” She explains, reaching a hand up to touch the stiff, rubbery leaves. “You used to name the flowers when you were small. The few that were in the garden in front of the old house. Have you named these?”

Charlotte smirks a little to herself, closing the file and setting it onto the top of her desk, “I didn’t think you’d remember.”

“How could I forget? You were four and I thought it was the most adorable thing you’ve ever done at the time.” Bernie gives a quick glance back toward her daughter, “so, what’s his name?”

“Horatio.” Charlie mumbles, smirking playfully when her mother cracks a smile. She then tilts her head toward the door, “being that I’m ranking consultant on the ward, you’d better get going, Ms. Wolfe. It’s still only your first week back.” She teases, “and you’re supposed to impress me, aren’t you?”

Bernie gives a playful chortle, her face showing a sense of astonishment, “Cameron was right, you are the worst.” She begins to back out of the door.

“At least I don’t threaten him with blackmail, so it could be worse. I heard one of his former superiors did that once.” Charlie grins when her mother finally leaves the office, giving a look over to the sofa under the hallway windows, “well, you kept quiet.”

“You asked me not to speak during your conversations with other people.” Raf Di Luca offers, lounging back on the modern crimson colored sofa, “did you get a couch because your mother and Serena have one in their office?”

“No, I got a sofa because I like naps and it’s difficult to take one while sitting up.” Charlie motions to the modern paintings covering the walls, then her antique appearing, vegan leather, tan desk chair, “I like it when things match and are in their proper places.”

“I reckon so. You attempted to alphabetize the files in that cabinet over there for an hour the other day.” He motions with a presenting wave of his hand in the direction of a filing cabinet. “Touch of OCD, have we?”

“Touch of not minding our own business, have we?”

“Ouch.” Raf pushes himself to sitting up, “has there been any more talk about moving you to Keller?”

“None that I’m aware of. I thought Ric was heading up there once Serena returns.” Charlie shrugs, “I didn’t make that call for him. He did that on his own. Mum offered to head to ED as to not cause too much confusion between us, but Hanssen insisted. Said they’re fully staffed and AAU needs the attention, whatever that means.”

“So now your entire family is working in the same unit, or will be working in the unit once Serena returns.” Raf stands from his place on the sofa, a spring in his step. “As Serena and Bernie try their damnedest to keep their hands off of one another.”

“Yep, because that’s what two people do when they work together. They become sexual deviants who start having it off in the middle of the room whenever they catch the eye of one another.” She glances over to him from the top of the file she’s reading. When it causes the spirit to chuckle, Charlie continues, deciding to change the subject, “you know, Evie Fletcher calls me on the regular now.”

“You’re close in age. She probably just wants a friend.” Raf teases, smiling to himself.

“She talks about you, about her mother and siblings, about Serena.” Charlie shakes her head, “I feel bad for her. Lending an ear is the very least I can do.” She exhales slowly, “you know, I should ask her if she’d like to rearrange my filing cabinets or something.”

“And waste the hour you put into it?” Raf hums a chuckle. “Though, really, let’s get down to a bit of business.” He manages to close the office door, which even he’s surprised about. “More and more abilities every day.” Raf mumbles to himself. He lifts his head, glancing over to the young consultant. “Things are going to get very weird for you, very quickly. Mrs. McKinnie is...feeling quite generous.”

“I don’t understand why she has so much power.” Charlotte closes the file she had been flipping through, placing it onto her desk before slowly folding her arms over her chest, gazing toward the white scrub wearing spirit. “I mean, doesn’t she have a supervisor or something of the like? It seems as if many of her abilities and gifts are spent on her own family. To make her daughter happy, even to make Jason happy.”

“Serena’s been through more in the past five years than most people have been through in their entire lives.” He answers simply, “everyone deserves a bit of happiness once in a while. Serena more than most.” Raf sighs, placing his hands against his hips, “if given the opportunity, she’s one of the most loving individuals you could ever encounter.”

“I’m aware.” Charlie swallows, “she and I...we grew a bit closer when uh...when we thought my Mum was dead.” She answers quietly, matter-of-factly. The young consultant clears her throat, trying to shake herself out of the mindset. “So, have you any...hints of what Mrs. McKinnie is planning?”

“Oh, why spoil the surprise?” A sly grin begins to form on Raf’s face, his hands sliding from his hips into his pockets. Watching the young woman as she attempts to formulate a response or conclusion in her head, he motions toward the closed door, “Here we go.”

Adrian Fletcher gives a quick knock on the office door before pushing it open. He had been lending a helping hand while the usual head nurse of the department was on holiday. “Sorry to be a bother, Wolfe Senior needs a hand in Trauma Bay.” He offers a translucent blue smock to her, knowing she hadn’t had the opportunity to change into a set of scrubs.

“What can you tell me?” Charlie walks near him, sliding the neck piece of the smock over her head. Not that her office was terribly far from her office, but she likes to be properly briefed. Something she knows Fletch has gotten used to about her. “Fletch?”

“Female, early to mid twenties. Appears as if she’s been living rough.” Fletch tilts his head in thought, walking in tandem with her toward the Trauma Bay, “pulse thirty-two, BP one-forty-six over ninety-two. Respirations are shallow, nearly non-existent. Found unconscious in front of a nearby market. No identification on her. ”

“Of course not. That would make it too easy.” She smirks a little to herself, finally pushing through the clear flaps of plastic blocking the way into the Trauma Bay. Grabbing a pair of nitrile examination gloves from a box on the wall near the door, pulling them onto her hands. Charlie stands at the side of the bed, looking up to her mother’s face, “Ms. Wolfe, you requested my assistance?”

“Could I have the room, please?” Bernie glances to the nurses, waiting for them to leave before making eye contact with her daughter.

“From what Fletch said, this isn’t something...something you should need my help on.” Charlotte glances down to the patient’s face, then back up to her mother when she goes a few moments without answering her. “I don’t understand.”

The elder of the two Wolfe women begins to speak after a moment, “I don’t either. I saw her...I saw her die...”

“Mum?” Charlie shakes her head a little, not understanding anything of what the woman is talking about or even where she’s going with her train of thought. When she still doesn’t answer her, Charlie reaches out, gently taking hold of her mother’s wrist, “how can I help you?”

“I need you to take this over.” Bernie mumbles, removing her nitrile examination gloves, tossing them into a bin as well as her plastic smock apron. “I need to phone Serena.”

“She still isn’t due back yet, you know that.” Charlie’s eyes follow her mother as she walks about the room, realizing there’s something else to this. “Why do you need to phone Serena?”

A silence falls between them as Bernie glances to the patient again before looking back toward her own daughter, “because that young woman right there...is Elinor.” Bernie pauses, finally taking her leave by pushing her way through the clear plastic panels.

Raf begins to chuckle from his position of leaning against the wall within the small space. “Told ye it was a doozy.” He moves to the foot of the bed, “wait until you clean her up. She’ll have a hell of a time though. Amnesia.”

“How is this possible?” Charlie asks him in hushed whispers, “how was she able to present herself like she was for all of that time?” She lifts her head to quickly look his way, “she was very dead. I attended her funeral.”

“Same could be said for Bernie, you know. You went to your mother’s funeral as well, yet here she is. Still alive and kicking.” When the young woman refuses to listen to him any longer, “examine Elinor. I think it will answer many of your questions. At least until Mrs. McKinnie is able to.”

Sighing, Charlotte glances up to the window leading to the room, she gives a quick knock against it with her knuckles, gaining the attention of a few of the nurses that were waiting for their signal to return. “Clean her up, get some bloods going. CBC, LFT, AFT, hCG to air on the safe side. I need a full toxicology report as soon as possible. Get her down for a scan.” She calls out, “I need my stethoscope.” When she’s handed one by Fletch in the meantime, she flashes him a quick smirk. “Thanks, Mr. Fletcher.”

“Sounds so bizarre coming from you, Junior.” Fletch helps the surgeon give her a proper exam, “should I get fluids going?”

“Absolutely, as well as oxygen. Put her on ten minute obvs.” Charlie swallows, not knowing what she could possibly do if this really is Elinor Campbell, “Let’s give this young woman the best treatment possible.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie tries to better understand her mother.
> 
> Cameron pisses off two consultants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan to just post these chapters as I write them. No posting schedule like my long running stories. Thanks in advance for all the interest thus far. I truly appreciate it!

Frustrated, Charlotte removes her gloves and smock from her person, tossing them into a waste bin before pushing through the translucent plastic flaps. Her mother’s consultant office was opposite the entrance to the Trauma Bay, something she knows the woman loves. Typing the code into the digital lock on the door frame before pushing the door open, catching the tail end of the conversation her mother is having on the telephone before allowing the heavy door to close behind her.

“Love you too. I’ll see you in a bit.” Bernie sets the receiver back onto the base, leaning back in her office chair. 

“What the hell was all that in there?” Charlie shakes her head, watching the blonde. “You should have finished up with me instead of running off to drop your girlfriend a bell. We don’t even know if you’re right about this.” She places her hands against her hips, “without so much as a blood test, we have no idea what we’re working with in general. Something you hadn’t even ordered before my arrival. Simple CBC with tox screen, hCG, LFT. These are things that are second nature and yet-”

“I was terrified, Charlie.”

It causes the younger consultant to straighten her back a bit. The air falling silent between them. Charlotte brings her hands up from her hips, bringing them to fold across her chest, “I’ve never heard you admit something like that before.”

Bernie lifts her gaze to meet her daughter’s face. “Yeah.”

She knows it has taken the woman quite a lot to concede to her own emotions, especially for Major Berenice Wolfe. Charlie nods a little, sucking her lips into her mouth and biting them in thought. “So, when Serena shows, we do a DNA test. We need to...we need to be able to match that up at least.”

The blonde nods, that’s all she could think about, how to get Serena to surrender to something like a blood test without asking any questions. “I’m just...” She adjusts her position in her desk chair, leaning an elbow against her desk, “for the first time in my life, I’m clueless.”

“You aren’t clueless. You just weren’t expecting it and that’s fine.” Charlie nears her mother, edging a seat against the woman’s desk, “but you need to communicate that to me. Remember? You said you were working on communication and you’ve been doing quite well thus far, don’t go back on it now.”

Bernie smirks to herself, lifting her gaze to her daughter’s face. “You’re right.”

“I know. I usually am.” Charlie hears the woman’s soft chortle next to her, grinning to herself in her own amusement. “Maybe I tell her that I need a routine liver work up to see how her levels are doing. I mean, it isn’t too far from the truth, but usually a patient would go to an external laboratory to have something like that done. I’ll tell her I’d rather have those results sooner rather than later.”

“Couldn’t have come up with a better plan myself.” Bernie nods, pushing herself to standing. “I’m losing my touch.” Her hip would hurt occasionally, working on her feet all day does her no favors. “Um. Thanks, Charlie.”  _ For what _ , she asks herself. “For working with me on this.”

“Of course I would.” She sighs softly, debating whether to hug her mother or keep things professional while at work. Charlie turns away from the woman, moving to the doorway, “Listen, Ms. Wolfe, we’ll get to the bottom of all of this. Just...go about your work, business as usual.” She offers, “I’ll take over care of our unnamed female.” It wasn’t a question, more like an understanding between the women that Bernie was in no state to treat the young woman.

“Listen, I haven’t...I haven’t seen anything lately. Spirits or ghosts...whatever it is you want to refer to them as.” Bernie offers, “suppose it’s...getting out of my system or whatever have you. I know Serena hasn’t seen anything. She certainly hasn’t said anything about it.” The elder of the Wolfe women inhales deeply, “this isn’t that.”

“I know it isn’t.”

“I saw Elinor Campbell die. I’ve...I’ve never forgiven myself for...” Bernie trails, taking a moment to lick her own lips in thought, “I saw her parents pull the plug, I saw her heart stop, I saw her remains wheeled down to the morgue.” The blonde slowly folds her arms over her chest, giving her a sense of security. “When I say I don’t understand-”

“You mean it and it bothers you.” Charlie nods, still standing in front of the doorway, “a...preliminary exam, showed multiple injection sites on her arms and legs. Whether that means recreational drug use or experimentation, I reckon we’ll find out soon enough.” She offers, “does that...put your mind at ease?”

“Only makes me ask more questions.” Bernie brings her hands to her face, quickly rubbing the skin with her palms. She lowers them after a moment, “That isn’t...that isn’t for you to worry over. Back to work.” She motions for her daughter to open the door, glad when she does.

Cameron Dunn stands just outside the office door, arms folded over his chest as he leans against the wall. “Family meeting and you don’t invite me in? Well, I feel like I should probably be offended.” He begins to follow his sister, knowing he’s bothering her with every word.

“Consultant meeting and you aren’t a consultant.” Charlie does her best not to roll her eyes as she nears the nurses’ station, her kitten heels click against the floor.

“Looking like a true professional, Chaz.”

Bernie grabs her son’s shoulder, turning him on the spot, “that’s Ms. Wolfe to you.” Her eyes are storming and disappointed, “how many times have we been over separating home life and work life?” Bernie’s voice at a low growl, “and just because your sister is younger than you, doesn’t mean you don’t show her the same respect you’d show any other consultant. Do I make myself clear?”

Cameron watches her eyes in indignation for a moment before finally breaking the contact, glancing away, “yes, ma’am.” When she pulls away, he salutes her, clicking his heels together as he does so. He finally turns himself away from his mother, returning to the rest of the floor of patients.

“You’re playing with fire, mate.” Fletch takes the vital signs of a recently admitted patient and lifts his head when Cameron stands on the other side of the bed. “Something I wouldn’t do if I were you.”

“Yeah, well, you aren’t me.” Cam sighs softly, reaching to the foot board of the hospital bed, obtaining the thin binder of medical records. “This is a bloody nightmare,” Cameron mumbles. When he glances over, realizing the patient believes he’s speaking about his medical history, “sorry, not you.” He pauses, then realizes he should explain himself, “you try working when your Mum and little sister are your bosses and we’ll-”

“My mum and my sister already believe themselves to be the bosses of the family anyway. You’re preaching to the choir.” The patient raises an eyebrow, “John Clark. Uh...sorry, I kind of...butted into your discussion.”

“No, you’re fine.” Fletch smiles a bit, taking the folder from the doctor and writing down the vital signs before handing it back.

“What brings you in today, Mr. Clark?” Cam watches the older man closely, “from what I see here from your short time in ED, shortness of breath, headache...”

“I...I had a nose bleed this morning. Like the headache...” John trails, “I’ve had a lot of nosebleeds and a lot of headaches lately. I get...real sensitive to things. Sometimes I just...need to lock myself in a dark room. Bought blackout curtains recently because of it.”

“Any previous diagnosis of heart or clotting issues?”

The patient gives a subtle negative head shake, “Not a fan of...not a fan of doctors. My husband brought me in. He’s grabbing a coffee from the canteen at the mo. We’ve been here for hours.” He offers a quick smirk, “told him to bring me back something good.”

“I don’t know if that’d be the best option.” Cam offers a quick smirk, then glances back up to Fletch, who hasn’t moved, “lets get him an MRI.” Another look back down to his patient as he places the information binder back into the basket at the foot of the bed, “we’ll get this all cleared up in no time, Mr. Clark.” Cameron pushes down on the pump of antibacterial foam, rubbing it into his hands as he steps away.

“You need permission from a consultant to order an MRI.” Fletch follows behind the doctor, rubbing antibacterial foam into his own hands. “So, like it or not, you need to pick which Wolfe you’re going to ask and...you’ve already made an impression for the day.”

Cameron shrugs a little, sighing, “it will be just like family Christmas.” It garners a chuckle from the nurse, but he knows it won’t be so easy, especially since he’s already pissed his mother and sister off for the day. “Whatever gets the job done.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fletch explains the situation of the Unnamed Female.
> 
> Cameron realizes what had his mother so spooked.

“Why can’t Mr. Clark have a CT scan instead of an MRI?” Charlotte subs her arms, having changed into a pair of scrubs in preparation for surgery. “I mean...I’m not trying to be cheap, but I’m just curious why you’ve chosen that path as your first one?”

“Patient complains of frequent headaches and nosebleeds.” Cam explains, his hands in his pockets.

“Really, I don’t know why I’m even giving you the time of day with that little display you made earlier.” She raises an eyebrow, “even saluting Mum like the tosser you are.”

“Yeah, I-”

“You need to learn some restraint.” Charlotte sighs a little, holding her hands up when she finishes scrubbing them. “It’s fine, do your MRI. It’s a good call. Just...try not to be an arse so often. It dumbs you down and I don’t know how much lower you plan to go, but-”

“Very funny.” Cameron sighs, nodding a little when she backs into the door leading to the actual operation theater, “Thanks.” He turns, taking his own exit. Making his way back to the ward, he nods to Fletch at the nurses’ station. “Ms. Wolfe said it’s fine.” He answers quietly, finally allowing his tone to grow serious.

“You got it.” Fletch nods, entering the information into the computer. He makes quick work, “porter should be up in a bit.” He collects his stethoscope as it was laying on the desktop, rounding the desk en route to the Trauma Bay.

Cam decided to follow him, “I heard we have a Jane Doe on our hands. Have we tried searching the database for...I don’t know, something?” He smiles a little, “I do love a good mystery on occasion.”

“Well, simmer down, Watson. We’re still waiting for blood results to come in from her tox screen.” Fletch nods, pushing through the clear plastic of the barrier between the Bay and the rest of the unit, hearing Cam do the same, “poor girl came in filthy. The assistant nurses made good work cleaning her up a tad. Completely unrecognizable from when she was brought in earlier.” He nods, rounding the bed, “Junior has her on ten minute obvs. Not really sure why. She’s starting to stabilize a bit with fluids. Probably just dehydrated.”

Standing still, Cameron tilts his head to the side, taking a closer look at the young woman’s face.  _ Familiar, _ but he isn’t able to put his finger on it. “How old?”

“Don’t know. No ID, remember?” Fletch raises an eyebrow, “if I were a betting man, and I am, I’d say mid-twenties. Why do you ask?” He pauses, carefully taking the patient’s temperature, “think you know her?”

“Something like that.” His voice grows quiet.

“Senior Wolfe had the same reaction you’re having right now, you know.” Fletch reaches against the wall for the blood pressure cuff before carefully wrapping it around the young woman’s upper arm, taking her reading.

“Yeah, I bet.” Cameron nods, quickly exiting the room. He returns to the floor, seeing the blonde consultant toward the back of the ward with a patient. He anxiously makes his way over to her, “Mum-”

“Here we go again. You must love blackmail.” Bernie mumbles loud enough for her son to hear. She nods to the young male patient in the hospital bed, “deep breath, this is going to hurt for a moment.” She makes quick work in resetting his dislocated shoulder, hearing him give a loud yelp. Bernie assesses the joint, coming to the conclusion that she was successful, “next time be more careful when you and your mates are playing rugby, please.” She offers him a quick smile, taking a pump from the bottle of hand sanitizer at the foot of the bed before walking off. “Now, Dr. Dunn, what is so important that you thought to interrupt me while I was tending to a patient?”

“Your Jane Doe.” He responds quietly, walking closely next to her. “That’s what you and Charlie were talking about earlier, isn’t it?” Cameron starts to form a knowing smirk on his face, “she looks just like Serena’s daughter.”

Bernie quickly turns to him, “Quiet.” She motions toward her office with a nod of her head.

Cameron walks ahead of his mother, continuing when he’s finally inside the office, “the resemblance is uncanny.”

“I’m aware.”

“Like...she wasn’t a twin or something, was she?”

Bernie tilts her head to the side a little, “not that I’m aware of.” The room falls silent between the two, it’s obvious her son’s head is filled with possibilities, “I need you to keep that quiet though. We’re going to do a DNA test to better assess the situation. There’s plenty of people that resemble one another. In fact, there was a young woman in my platoon that looked as if she could be my younger sister. Things such as that happen all of the time.”

“Sure they do, but what are the chances?” Cam asks a rhetorical question, taking a seat on the sofa in the office. “Could there have been a mix-up of some sort when she died?”

“I was there.” Bernie shakes her head negatively, her arms folded over her chest as she edges a seat against her own desk.

“Crazier things have happened though.” He shrugs, “I mean...you’re here.”

“Yes, I’m aware.” She exhales slowly, “this needs to be of utmost confidence between the three of us.” Bernie glances away, formulating her thoughts as she speaks. “Serena’s on her way in. She’ll probably be here at any moment and I need you to remain completely silent on the matter.”

“I can do that.” Cameron nods, folding his hands together as he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Is there anything else I can help you both with?” In times such as these, he does have the ability to be a kind hearted individual. Not that he’s cold at other times, but he’d go out of his way for it.

Bernie shakes her head quickly, “just go about your day as you usually would.” She finally looks over toward him, getting a sense that he’s ever so slightly downcast from being left out of the loop. “I do appreciate you offering though. Thank you.”

Cameron stands, giving a curt nod. “Yeah.” He returns to the door, letting himself out as he returns to the rest of the unit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not totally pleased with this chapter. Just thought I'd admit that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serena arrives with an unexpected guest in tow.
> 
> Cameron saves the day for a change.

Serena Campbell parks in her usual space within Holby City Hospital’s employee car park. Taking a moment to inhale and exhale slowly. She lowers the sun visor just above her, checking her makeup before catching sight of the toddler in the back seat. She smiles a little to herself, “now, Guinevere, your Auntie Bernie isn’t aware you’re with me today. So, I expect the best behavior from you.”

Guinevere offers her Auntie Serena a large grin. “Kay.” There isn’t many words she says, only a few names and a few things otherwise. A particularly inquisitive yet mellow two-year-old, spending time with the woman has been more common lately, giving Serena something to focus on other than thinking of her lack of drink. Especially while Bernie has been to work in the past week. Otherwise, they’d see the toddler every other weekend to give their parents a break.

Opening the car door and climbing out, Serena lowers her driver’s seat to obtain the girl from her car seat in the back. She holds her on her hip, getting her supply bag as well. Of course, the girl squirms, unsatisfied that she’s being denied the ability to walk on her own. “Guinevere, wait until we’re out of the car park, please.”

“Down now.” Guinevere orders, scowling slightly toward the woman she’s grown attached to like a grandchild would a grandparent. “P’ease down now?”

“One moment.” Really, Serena would give this girl the world if she requested it. Crossing the car park as quickly as she can, she finally lets the girl down, “you must hold my hand though.” When the girl offers her a grin and a nod, Serena sighs, knowing Guinevere’s abilities to manipulate her and get away with it. 

Boarding the elevator and finally exiting to AAU, Serena motions for the girl to look into the consultant’s office.

Bernie makes another annotation on a patient’s file, catching sight of something in the open doorway to her office. She starts to smile a tad, “well, if it isn’t Guinevere.” She finishes what she’s doing before turning her office chair toward the girl, “drove here all by yourself, did you?”

“Hi Bun.” Guinevere toddles over to the blonde, lifting her arms up to sit in the woman’s lap, “Bun up.” She maintains a soft smile, grinning more when her demands are met.

“Forgot to tell you, I have Guinevere today.” Serena from the doorway, loving the sight in front of her.

“I know Cam and Charlie will love seeing her. It’s been too long.” Bernie explains, opening one of the drawers of her desk and removing a sucker. She carefully unwraps it, knowing the girl isn’t going to finish it.

“What was so important that you phoned me in?”

Knowing her inability to lie to this woman, Bernie lifts her head, raising her brow, “Charlotte asked me to. Something about checking your LFT and AFT levels.” She shakes her head a tad, “you’d have to ask her about all of that though. I’m just the messenger.” She tilts her head to the side, glancing down to the toddler in her lap. She offers a soft smirk, amused by the girl. “Is that delicious, Guinevere?” Hearing the girl’s delighted hum causes Bernie to chuckle softly.

“And to think I didn’t believe you capable...” Serena mumbles to herself, moving into the room more and lowering herself to the sofa underneath the windows within the office.

“What was that?” Bernie lifts her head, knowing she had heard the silver haired woman say something.

“Nothing.”

“Down now?” Guinevere looks at the blonde, whose thigh upon which she sits. “Bun.” She taps the woman’s arm with her sticky fingers. When she’s let down by her Auntie Bernie, Guinevere decides to look about the room. Not searching for any one thing in particular, but just exploring as a whole.

Bernie takes the opportunity to move from her own desk chair to sit next to her partner, “are you feeling okay?” She reaches for the woman’s hand, but only barely touches it with her knuckles, waiting for acceptance from Serena to take a firm hold. 

Serena doesn’t need to look at her partner’s hand to know what she’s doing. She gently takes hold, instantly relaxing. Really, there’s nothing here that she feels particularly anxious about, but being at work when she’s been out for so long does slightly disturb her level headedness. “I didn’t feel you leave this morning.” She skirts around the question, feeling like she probably shouldn’t answer it. She slowly glances over to her, “I woke to Greta dropping the baby off.” She huffs a soft chortle, “I don’t know why, but it just...I don’t know.”

The blonde gently rubs her thumb across Serena’s knuckles, swallowing as she glances over to her, meeting her eyes. Serena worries when she can’t find her. Believing this may all be a dream and that she didn’t actually survive in Nairobi. Bernie shakes her head, “I’m not going anywhere. You’ve worried yourself three days this week-”

“Three times you left without waking me or saying goodbye.” 

“I’m sorry.” Bernie answers quietly, leaning in slowly to capture her lips with the other woman’s only to be stopped by a rapt against the door. She clears her throat, sitting upright again without looking toward the door. “Yes?”

“Saw this in the hall. Figured I’d find you both in here.” Cameron tilts his head to the side, a squirming Guinevere being held awkwardly in his arm, against his side, “which, you’re lucky. Jason was just up here to take my patient down to imaging. If he had found his daughter wandering about a busy hospital unit, I reckon he probably wouldn’t be too keen on it.”

Serena gets up from her seat, ruining the moment she was just having with her partner. “I’m so sorry. Thank you for retrieving her, Cameron.” She’s visibly shaken by the incident, disappointed in her own lack of judgement. Serena exhales, shaking her head as she takes the babe from her partner’s son. She holds Guinevere closely, rubbing her back.

“Mena, no cwy.” Guinevere attempts to reason with her surrogate grandmother. Hearing her parents use the term _Auntie Serena_ , she did her best with the name. Only really able to come up with Mena, her best attempt at the Rena portion of Serena.

Her eyes may be damp, but Serena isn’t crying. Not quite. She shakes her head negatively, “I’m not, sweetheart. Everything is okay.” She swallows, turning a bit when she realizes the young man is still watching them, “do you...do you remember Cameron?” 

Nodding, the toddler seems more concerned with her dear aunt than anyone else at that moment. Guinevere glances to the lollipop from her hand, then shoves it into Serena’s mouth. She offers her best smile, “Kay?”

Cameron chuckles a little, at Serena’s surprised face. “I’ve been sent with instruction from Ms. Wolfe. I’m to take some blood from you.”

“Why you and not Fletch?” Serena raises an interested eyebrow, sliding the lollipop against her cheek inside of her mouth, “surely he’s able to take a simple blood sample for an LFT. I’d assume you’d probably have much more on your plate.” When the toddler rests her head against her aunt’s shoulder, Serena smiles slightly to herself. “Also, he’d probably find a vein faster than you. No offense.”

“None taken. I just happened to check on the surgery she’s performing. She’s nearly finished.” Cameron brings his arms up, folding them comfortably across his chest, “she tried to tell me that you could wait and she’d come and take them, but I’m certain she’d much rather get a jump start on results so you can head on home.”

Bernie notices the toddler reach to run her hands through Serena’s hair, something she usually does when she’s tired. Knowing how sticky her digits probably are, she springs from her seat, reaching into the supply bag for nappy wipes. She makes quick work with her instincts, even jarring Serena from her suspicious train of thought, “I think that’s a sublime idea, Dr. Dunn. Especially since I doubt little Gwennie will even make it to the car before she falls asleep.”

Serena sighs, “You’re right. Where would you prefer I-”

“Desk should be fine. I’ll get a kit.” Cameron nods, ducking out of the room.

“Guinevere, would you mind if I held you while Auntie Serena has her blood drawn?” Bernie offers, then winces to herself, knowing the toddler isn’t going to know what she’s talking about. She holds her hands out, glad when the babe leans toward her. Bernie holds the baby closely, “I know I’m probably not nearly as comfortable as she is, but hopefully I’ll do for a bit.”

Serena smiles at her partner. “I should have brought you lunch or something.”

“We can go to lunch after all of this, if you’d like.” Honestly, Bernie just wants to remain close to her in case she needs to bring her back for the results. Of course, Charlotte ordered a DNA test, but the portion about the liver function tests were accurate as well. “Nothing too far. I’d even be open to take-away in the office like we used to do.”

Serena hums a soft chortle, rolling up her sleeve a bit. “I can wait to come back, but I can’t wait to work with you again. Honestly, that’s the only thing that...makes me even want to come back. Can you believe it?” She swallows, then flashes a soft smile, “wouldn’t mind going about traveling with you like we did when...” She doesn’t finish the sentence, knowing it would only make her upset. “France, Italy, Spain, Nairobi. We had a marvelous time...all things considering.”

Bernie nods, gently rubbing her hand along the chubby toddler’s back absently. “I’m always game. You know that home, to me, is only home if you’re there. No matter where we go, or what we do.”

“Yeah.” Serena does her best not to cry, but that might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to her. She clears her throat, reaching a hand up to remove the sucker from her mouth as she lifts her gaze, noticing Cameron reappearing in the doorway, “well, Dr. Dunn, let’s see if your needle technique has improved at all.”

“Your lack of confidence in me is, ya know, disappointing.” Cameron shrugs, setting the supplies onto the desk. “Doesn’t matter what my technique is or is not. I get to stick you with a needle now, which will bring me more joy than I care to admit.” He smirks, teasing her. He hopes that, for the first time in a very long time, he’ll be able to give Serena Campbell some good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope Guinevere's toddler-speak is easily understood. She'll be two in June.
> 
> I would imagine, though, that Jason may probably allow her to refer to Serena as her grandmother. A girl can dream and ya never really know.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrienne unsettles Charlie.
> 
> Charlie speaks with her patient.

Her time in theater lasting longer than expected because of the patient’s allergic reaction to the anesthesia, Charlie finally leaves the scrub-in area after washing her arms after surgery. She exhales, wishing that went better as she makes her way down the corridor, arms comfortably crossed over her chest.

“I must admit, dear girl, that was amazing to watch.”

She knows that voice all too well by now. Turning, she sees Adrienne McKinnie peering through a window. Charlie retrieves her mobile from her pocket so as to not appear too mad if anyone was to see her and steps over to stand next to the woman, “it was something alright.”

Adrienne smiles a tad, her blue eyes glistening with the sunlight. “My husband would watch things on telly when he was alive. Operations and such, and he’d critique them as he went along. Of course, Serena picked it up. She was a wee thing. Such a precocious child.” She hums a quick chuckle to herself.

“You’re able to check in on her from time to time, you know.”

“I am, but...” Adrienne shakes her head negatively, “when one travels to the place where I now reside...it’s difficult to see the people you love and be unable to embrace them.” Her tone remains level, void of much emotion. “Your mother had the same issue. Constantly wanting to embrace my Serena, to kiss her.” She sighs softly, “same with her children. I didn’t think it was possible for us to cry, but she did. I mean...what’s the point really?”

Charlie shrugs, “I’m sorry, I um...I don’t know. I don’t really know how to answer that.”

“The question was a rhetorical one, girl.” Adrienne begins to walk away from her, down the hall, only to disappear a moment later.

Watching the woman vanish, Charlotte lowers her mobile and slips it back into her pocket. She stands there for a moment, attempting to make heads or tails of her actions. Charlie bites her lip and returns to the rest of her unit, glancing around at the relatively quiet place. “Well, this is a nice change.”

“Tell me about it.” Fletch nods, moving away from a patient bed near the door leading to the AAU theater spaces. “Saw Serena head out with Senior Wolfe not too long after she arrived.”

She sighs, feeling defeated. “I needed to draw some samples from her.”

“Oh, I don’t know anything about that. I’m sure you can do them when they return.” He answers simply, returning to his place behind the nurses’ station, which he notices she’s standing in front of. “Hey, why not check in on the girl in trauma? I’ve been doing my obvs, but...I don’t know. There’s something about her. Maybe you’ll be able to pick up on it.” He does appear confused with the feelings forming within him.

“Good idea.” Charlie gives him a wink, heading toward the Trauma Bay. She notices the young woman in the bed, her eyes only slightly starting to open. She nears the bed, knowing that no one deserves to be alone. “Hello there. I’m Charlie Wolfe, a consultant here at Holby City Hospital.”

The young woman moans softly, her face wincing. “I’m...I’m in hospital?” She seems confused.

“I’m afraid so. We’ve been treating you for some sort of upper respiratory issues. Lab is a tad backed up, so I’m still waiting on results on your blood count tests.” Charlie explains, not having any real explanation for any of it. She exhales slowly, “can you tell me anything about yourself? Name, address?”

The patient shakes her head, “I-I-I need to go. I need to get out of here.”

“I know it’s probably alarming, but-”

“He’ll find me and he’ll take me back there.”

Charlie furrows her brow, shaking her head negatively, “you’re safe here. Our other consultant is an Army Major. No one threatening is going to be able to get near you. You have my word.” She notices the tremble of the young woman’s hands, reaching her own hand down to take hold of the other woman’s. “Is there any family or...a partner we can phone?”

“No.” The patient shakes her head, slowly glancing over to notice the doctor is holding onto her hand. “You’re...you’re a consultant, not a student?” It doesn’t so much sound like a question as it does the young woman attempting to reason with herself and sorting things in her own head.

“Trauma consultant.” Charlotte nods slowly, “you’re in AAU, in our Trauma Bay. If you’re concerned about someone finding you or...whatever have you, I’ll have security stationed at your door to protect you.” Even if her feelings are all a touch of paranoia, she'll play into it for a bit to keep her patient calm.

The young woman weighs her options, “I...I don’t know my name. I don’t remember it.” She responds softly, “I’ve...I’ve been running for so long.” The patient looks away from the consultant, her voice growing softer with each word, “I’m so tired.”

Charlie bites her lip, seeing the hopeless expression on the woman’s face. She takes note not only of the needle marks, but of the bruising around her neck, showing that she probably tried to hang herself at some point. “I know. I’m here to help you. You can stop running.” She’d do this for any patient, not just someone that could possibly be Serena’s, previously thought deceased, daughter.

Something about the consultant’s deep brown eyes make her trust the doctor in front of her and she isn’t entirely certain why. The young woman nods absently. “Guards?”

“If you want them. Everything is your choice.” Charlie responds softly, turning her head a little when she hears her mother and Serena returning from their lunch date. She notices Guinevere sleeping against Bernie’s shoulder. Glancing back to the young woman, she clears her throat, “I’m going to go and see what’s going on with your blood work, but I’ll be back in just a bit. Promise.” Charlie doesn’t receive a response from her patient, but feels the unnamed female continue to hold onto her hand as she turns away. “Promise.” She repeats herself, finally feeling her patient let go. Charlie pushes her way through the translucent flaps of plastic, bringing her hand up to wipe away a tear she only just now notices is trailing between the corner of her nose and cheek. She clears her throat, usually good about these things.

Charlie looks toward her mother’s office door, having every intention of going through and speaking with the women and giving a solid hug to Guinevere. However, she can’t pretend everything is okay. Even if this young woman  _ is _ Elinor Campbell, there’s no promises that the young woman or Serena Campbell will be open to the information.

Walking away from the door, toward her own office, Charlotte makes it just past the nurses’ station until she's called upon.

“Ms. Wolfe...the results from our unnamed female. Initial blood work, I reckon.” Fletch holds out the tablet computer toward the young woman. He didn’t try to read them. Didn’t even open the file. They had, literally, just arrived. “Taken them forever, this one.”

Stopping in her tracks, Charlie glances over to him, taking the tablet into her hands after a moment, “I’ll be in my office. Try not to have anyone disturb me for a bit.” She offers him a quick, sad smile, finally entering her office and closing the door behind herself. Lifting her head, she notices her office isn’t empty.

“Well,” Adrienne McKinnie leans forward in the office chair, her folded hands resting atop the desk, “care to have a seat? I suspect you’ll have many questions once you take a look at what’s on that small computer of yours.”

Raf sits against the edge of the desk, his arms folded over his chest. He doesn’t like that things are about to change so drastically for his best friend, Serena Campbell. This woman before him, growing to be a close friend as well, being that she’s the only living person able to still see him. She looks alarmed, he thinks. “Don’t worry, Charlie. Everything will work out, you’ll see.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Cam revel in their shared knowledge.
> 
> Bernie asks Serena a loaded question.

“Fletch said you didn’t want to be disturbed.” Cameron steps into his sister’s office, closing the door behind himself.

“And yet, here you are.” Charlotte clicks her cursor through a few things on her computer, knowing exactly who would ignore such an order given. 

“He said the results came back for the unnamed female.” He continues, taking a seat on the crimson sofa underneath the windows leading out to the rest of the unit. Not invited in the least. However, he knows what this is about and what she probably found out. “Not her, is it...”

When his sister doesn’t respond right away, Cameron stands, beginning to pace as he continues, “I mean, it was a long shot. I never thought it was her. I wanted it to be, in order to give Serena good news, you know? She’s always clouded with this...feeling or fear of someone near her dying. Really, it’s founded. I mean, look at them all...”

Raf tilts his head to the side, still sitting on the desk next to the young woman that had returned to her place in the tan leather executive chair chair once Adrienne McKinnie was finished speaking. “Does he have a word quota he must meet or does he just like to hear himself talk?”

Charlie smirks to herself, “bit of both.” She mumbles under her breath.

“Both of what?” Cameron stops his pacing, looking over toward his younger sister. “Charlie-”

“Dr. Dunn.” She raises an eyebrow.

“Oh, come on.”

Shaking her head negatively, Charlie comfortably folds her arms over her chest, “you never told me that you were putting in these tests. Could have shot me a text or something instead of me being incredibly confused about results that I wasn’t aware had been submitted in the first place.”

“Mum mentioned it and I wanted to get them in for you sooner rather than later.” Cameron places his hands onto his hips, tilting his head to the side, “I, honestly, was trying to help. Whether you believe that or not is-”

“Thank you.” Charlie nods, “really, I mean that.”

“Wasn’t expecting that, was he?” Raf smirks, getting up from his place at the side of Charlotte’s desk and venturing over to the sofa.

“The young woman in that bed is traumatized...and terrified.” She explains, leaning forward to pick up the tablet computer. Charlotte pulls up the results that he had submitted, “and she’s Elinor Campbell.” She offers him the tablet for him to examine the results himself.

Cameron stares toward his sister, a smile beginning to form on his lips, “you’re joking.” He takes the tablet from her, carefully as if the device is made of gold. Cam uses his fingers delicately over the screen of the device. “She also has a high white blood cell count.”

“I noticed.” Charlie nods, “so, this is something we need to ease our patient into. She doesn’t remember her name or address or...anything except her trauma. I need a bit more time with her. Show her pictures or something. See if they stir any memories for her.”

“Serena’s going to be over the moon.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” 

Cam exhales softly, taking another seat on her sofa. He happens to be sitting next to Raf, though he’s really none the wiser. “Seeing her go through everything that she did, knowing that Mum helped her through it...there’s just so much to unpack and move on with.”

“I know.” Charlie watches her brother, “and she’s not going to be happy when she finds out I sat on the information. I feel like...once I get my patient to a point where she’s comfortable, I think I’ll let Mum inform Serena. If Serena gets angry, I’ll tell Mum to let me take the heat.”

“Mum would never do that though. Especially not to you.”

“Does he not remember when he was in the car accident? What a fiasco that was for the girls...” Raf rolls his eyes, glancing toward the younger man though he knows Cam is unable to hear or see him.

Charlie shrugs, “I don’t know what to tell you, Cammy.” She stands after a moment, clearing her throat. “We need to get back to what we were doing. Get back to work. I’m going to continue working with my patient in trauma. You just go back to whatever it is you were working on...once you compose yourself.”

“If you need help talking with Elinor, just let me know.” Cam leans forward in his seat a little. “I know Mum is shaken up about it, but you don’t need to handle it on your own. I’m in the know and I can help too. Alright?”

“Is Cocky Cameron worried about his little sister?” Charlotte teases him a bit, a sense of mirth to her voice. She’s getting joy out of all of this. “I’d better write this day down in my calendar, set a reminder to bring it up as often as possible with you.”

“Alright, Darling Charlotte, no need to rub it in.” Cam smirks, rising from his seat as well. He clears the tablet screen before opening the door to the rest of the unit, setting the tablet on the nurses station desk.

“Oh, Dr. Dunn.” Fletch calls over to him from a bed not far from the desk area, “care to suture?”

Cameron turns, hearing the man. He moves nearer to the patient, “I can take it. What’s going on?”

Fletch smirks a little, holding a bag of ice to an older woman’s head with his gloved hands, “This is Mrs. Edna Phillips. She took a tumble down her front stairs in front of her house. Neighbor says she appeared to have had a bit of a fainting spell, just an unfortunate position.”

“I’m diabetic.” The woman sucks her tongue against her teeth, disappointed in herself. “My sugars have been a tad all over the place as of late.”

“Well, Mrs. Phillips, that’s no good either.” Cameron tries to keep the moment light as he pulls on a pair of gloves himself, “Is this the first time you fainted?” He removes the penlight from his pocket, “I’m going to take a look in your eyes, alright?”

“Sure, do as you want. Been a long time since I’ve had a couple of handsome young men to tend to my needs.” Edna hums a soft chuckle, a side of her face drooping ever so slightly.

Cameron steps back, noticing the change in his new patient. “Fletch, let’s get a CBC, blood glucose.” He steps in again, taking a look in her eyes. He’s on a different path already though. Cam gently takes hold of the woman’s hands, “okay, go ahead and squeeze my hands as much as you can.” He isn’t surprised when he only feels a significant squeeze with one hand and not the other. “Okay. Fletch, I’m going to take over holding onto that. I need you to also get some proper vitals on Mrs. Phillips.”

“Not a problem.” Fletch stands still as the doctor takes over what he said he would, bustling around the unit. This place would always be his home. He probably knows it better than his own house. Fletch watches as the young consultant walks past, even tempted to stop her, but he has no real reason to at the moment. Does Dr. Dunn need a consultant backup? He isn’t sure currently. 

Bernie lifts her head, noticing Charlotte returning to the Trauma Bay. She leans back in her seat a bit, “I think I may have gotten back to work a tad too soon.” She sighs, Guinevere still sleeping with her head against her shoulder. “Charlie’s being too easy on me. Letting me get away with murder.”

“She isn’t your boss, darling. She’s your equal here.” Serena leans back against the sofa, absently bringing a hand to the pendant hanging from the chain around her neck.

“I’m still considered a floating consultant. So, technically-”

“Ah.” The silver haired woman nods slowly, “she gets to order both you and Cameron around if she wishes. I’m sure she’s loving every moment of it.” Serena hums a soft chuckle, keeping her voice low so as to not wake the toddler. She can’t help but just stare at them though. How adorable Bernie looks with the girl, she starts to think to herself. They’d have made great parents together, probably.

“They needed the help. Ric back on Keller works better for him as a whole, but you not being here doesn’t work with me.” Bernie pouts ever so slightly, playfully toward her partner. “I could have just started when you returned. At least I’d take orders from you instead of my own daughter.”

“Oh, she can’t be all that bad. She was marvelous when I worked with her for one day. Even better when she was around helping us when she could.” Serena explains, “I mean, she did our laundry, cooked us supper. Did a bit of meal planning for us so there wasn’t much we had to do except throw the meal in the oven or microwave.”

“She has a habit of not taking time for herself. I’m always afraid she’ll burn herself out.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” Serena hears her partner snort, amused by the situation as a whole. “Both of our daughters ended up being like us. Charlie has your drive. Elinor had mine.” She starts to think back a tad, “when my mother took ill and she finally got wind of the whole thing, she helped me every single day. She was there as often as she possibly could be...and I never asked her to. Not once. She insisted.”

“A mini you.” Bernie smirks, watching her girlfriend.

“Just a tad more spoiled.” Serena nods, “always ready to dive in head first, that one.” She closes her eyes, inhaling and exhaling slowly when she feels herself start to get upset. “I miss her every single second of every single day.”

Lifting her head again, Bernie notices her daughter give a thumbs up to her, tilting her head a little toward the Trauma Bay. Bernie raises an eyebrow, knowing exactly what such a subtle gesture means, “What if I told you that...there’s a chance she may not be dead after all?” 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte starts to notice other issues with her patient.
> 
> Serena is at a loss for words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this is all going on throughout a single day, I feel like it might be taken as happening one after the other. Hours (just about) have gone by in between each section, unless it seems they happen one after the other.

Elinor Campbell brings her hand up to her nose, feeling that there’s a wetness seeping from her nasal passages. She raises her hand to have a better look, only to see blood covering the tips of her fingers. “Shit.” She whispers to herself, glancing to her bedside for a napkin. She lifts her head when she sees the consultant she has become well acquainted with, “might you know where I could find a tissue?”

“Not a problem. Let’s get you sitting up a bit more.” Charlie pulls open a drawer in a cabinet by the bed, obtaining an emesis basin, “hold this under your nose. You’ve got quite the bleeder there.” She hands it to the other woman, then pulls on a pair of gloves to hold it there herself. She helps her lean forward, the back of her hospital gown opening a bit. She notices what appears to see a rash. “Do you get nosebleeds often?”

“On occasion.”

Charlotte swallows, nodding as she helps her patient. She decides to fill the silence with something, “your blood results came back.”

Elinor raises an eyebrow, “everything okay?”

“Well, they could be better. You’re definitely suffering from a bit of malnutrition, but it’s...understandable.” Charlie nods, leaning her face over to check on the bleeding. She offers a pack of the tissues she had found, “Okay, things are calming down a bit with that nose of yours. Go ahead and use these. You can lay back again as well.” Moving the emesis basin away from her patient and to an over bed table settled at the end of the bed. "I'll take care of that bit later."

She leans back slowly, watching the consultant, “what else?”

Charlie raises an eyebrow, cleaning the area up a bit. “Something I need to look into a bit more.” She clears her throat, “I, also, have a name for you. Your blood results matched up with someone previously in the database. So...”

“Truly?” Elinor’s face brightens up a bit.

Humming her approval, Charlotte finishes what she’s doing and removes her gloves, putting a few pumps of antibacterial foam onto them. She reaches into her pocket, obtaining her mobile as she takes a seat on the side of Elinor’s bed. Touching the screen a few times, Charlie reaches the few pictures she has of Serena on her mobile, offering it to the young woman. “Does this woman look familiar at all to you?”

Tears spring to her eyes and she isn’t entirely certain why. Elinor stares at the picture, “I don’t know.”

“It’s okay.” She nods, expanding the picture a bit to show both Serena and Elinor together. Charlie offers it to her patient again, “what about now?”

“I...I look...I look happy.”

“I think you were.” Charlotte expands the picture a bit more. Christmas years ago. Right before Elinor was thought dead. She and Cameron are also featured, Bernie, and Jason.

“Oh, him.” Elinor points to Jason, “he...is he my brother?”

“Like a brother. He’s your cousin.” 

She examines the picture, “are we family?” Elinor pauses, “you and I...” Another pause, pointing to Cameron this time, “and him...I’ve seen him recently as well.”

“That’s my brother. I’m his boss around here. He’s an F2.” Charlie smirks, humming a soft chuckle when her patient grins. “Your name is Elinor Campbell. Our...mothers are partners...girlfriends. Whatever.” She explains, pulling the picture back a bit to get a look at it as well, “this was...the last time your Mum was truly happy, I think.”

“I...” Elinor swallows, “I’m confused.”

“It’s a lot of information. I’d be concerned if you weren’t.” Charlie nods, putting the phone to sleep before slipping it back into her pocket. “I’m not just taking care of you because you’re my patient, but because you’re like my step-sister. Not quite, but...I’m sure it’s only a matter of time for Mum and Serena.”

“Did we grow up together?”

“No, but I’m sure we’ve grown from our own experiences.”

Elinor nods a little, “and...and my Mum...my Mum is the woman with the brown hair in those photos?”

Charlie hums her approval, “she’s gray now though. Suits her. She could be bald and still look fantastic.” She smirks, “we have...much in common...and I can’t wait until she and Mum take the plunge. If they ever decide to.” Charlie lifts a hand to push a piece of stray hair behind her ear. “You and I could wear matching dresses.” She teases, watching her patient.

“The man...the doctor that...” Elinor starts, falling quiet for a moment, “he told me that they didn’t know where I was and...didn’t care enough about me to look. Sometimes he would say that they were dead.” She licks her lips, “I’m happy to know that I have family.”

“Lots of family. Jason has a daughter too, but...I’m sure your Mum will want to tell you all about that.” Charlotte watches her, “would you mind if I were to fetch her? She actually...she’s actually in the building at this very moment.” She pauses, “but I won’t do anything unless you give me approval first.”

Elinor pauses, giving it some thought, “my mother...is she a good person?” She bites her lip, “and what of a father?”

“I don’t really know much about your father. I just know that he and your mother divorced a long time ago and that he was, and I quote,  _ a cheating bastard. _ I only really know of her life with my Mum.” Charlie nods, “but, yes, she’s a very good person. Surgeon here as well. Just out on medical leave currently. Set to return in a month or so. Depends on how long I think she should stay out.” The young consultant smirks, “it is quite lovely being in charge of the whole department though...even if it is temporary.”

She thinks for a moment, watching the consultant, “will she be upset if you tell her that I’m here?” Elinor swallows, “I...I don’t want to upset anyone.”

“You wouldn’t.” Charlie shakes her head, “she may cry out of happiness, but that’s the extent.” She raises an eyebrow, “hopefully.” She pushes herself to stand from the side of the bed, “now, if you don’t believe you want to do that now, please don’t feel obligated in any way. However, you have a family that misses you more than life itself. You aren’t alone and you never have to be anymore.”

Elinor has tears in her eyes, “even if I don’t...if I don’t remember these people...” She swallows, “what he...said to me after I...” She looks away, “just...tell my mother, would you? Tell her that...I don’t want to offend her or...”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.” She reaches over, giving her patient a friendly squeeze on the wrist before leaving the room again. The smile on her face falls slightly, knowing she needs to check her patient’s CBC report again. Clearing her throat, Charlie steps across the hall to her mother’s office. Tapping the code on the door before pushing it open quietly, she forces a smile between the women, glancing over to her mother, keeping her voice low when she sees that Guinevere is still sleeping, “have you said anything to her yet?”

“Started to.” Bernie smirks a little, “but you know more about the case than I do so I thought you’d be much better prepared to field questions.”

Serena seems to be trembling slightly as she slowly lifts her head toward the young consultant, someone she’s grown close to through her care of them while they were far more ill than they are now. She swallows, her voice cracking as she speaks, “is...is it true? Not just some...point of conversation or-”

“You know I wouldn’t do that.” Bernie sighs, absently hugging onto Guinevere a tad tighter. The babe causing her to relax a bit more than she otherwise would be in the situation.

“I had a patient brought in. Spooked Mum a bit so I took on the case.” Charlotte explains carefully, sitting on the arm of the sofa as she focuses on Serena. “I...asked you in on false pretenses. Well, kind of. Your bloods haven’t come back yet, but...there was a rush put onto a quick DNA test between you and our formerly unnamed patient. Female, early twenties, big brown eyes, and a dimpled chin.” She offers a soft smile, not liking that she’s upsetting this woman in the least.

Serena shakes her head negatively, “I don’t understand how-”

“It seems that when she was declared dead here, she was taken or...stolen, kidnapped. Passed off as dead. That part I can’t explain. I don’t know, I wasn’t here.” Charlie shakes her head a little, “I know that she shows signs of being experimented on and possible drug use. I’m not certain. Um...I need to take a closer look at her CBC, but one thing I am absolutely sure of is that our unnamed female is your daughter, Elinor.”

Serena brings her shaking hands up to cover her mouth, tears flowing freely from her eyes. “Does she...my god, I can’t-I can’t-”

“She has significant memory loss. She doesn’t remember...anything before her time with this so-called doctor that experimented on her. Male, that’s the only thing I know. That and he had previous knowledge of her circumstances and knew of you.” Charlie shakes her head, “I plan to call psych shortly for a proper consultation. I just don’t think she should be alone if she doesn’t need to be.”

Bernie bites her cheek, knowing she’ll speak with Fletch about it all in a bit. She watches the sight in front of her, wanting to comfort her partner, but also not wanting to wake the toddler on her shoulder. She starts to carefully stand, continuing to balance the toddler to the best of her ability.

“Come on.” Charlotte stands as well, offering an outstretched hand toward Serena, “let me introduce you to my patient.”

Serena takes her hand, letting the younger woman help her stand. She finds herself holding the younger woman’s hand, then arm, keeping close to her. Honestly, she’s never felt more unsure of herself until this very moment, especially knowing her life is about to turn itself on its head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bernie is tasked with doing mostly paperwork in her first week back and slowly returning to her standard consultant duties. Though she doesn't seem to be doing much of anything thus far, and that isn't like her, she'll manage to take care of her responsibilities. Never fear. Being that this is such big news, she knows she needs to stay with Serena right now. Especially since, as seen in previous sections of this series, she's been given another chance in order to give her all to the people that mean the most to her.
> 
> I do hope that makes sense.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte begins to panic when bad news starts to grow clearer to her.
> 
> Bernie calms her daughter by opening up to her.

Charlotte nears her patient’s bedside, noticing that Elinor has nodded off though she knows this is such a big moment for both herself and this woman she knows is her mother. She brings her hand to the young woman’s forearm, noticing the wrist she had given a gentle squeeze not too long before was now showing signs of bruising. She gently rubs her forearm, attempting to rouse her just a bit, “Elinor.” She calls gently, able to maintain her composure though Serena is losing it more now than before.

Elinor groggily lifts her eyelids, looking over to this surgeon she’s come to trust. “Hey.” She flashes a tired smile.

“Feeling tired?” She asks kindly, seeing her patient nod in turn. “You can go back to sleep in a moment. I just brought you by someone to sit at your bedside-”

“Mum.” Elinor can’t explain it. Though the pictures she was shown made this woman seem so foreign to her, seeing her in the flesh was another story. “Mum, it’s you.”

Serena nods, moving closer to her daughter. She leans in, gently pressing her lips against her daughter’s forehead, letting go of Charlotte’s hand in the process to hold onto Elinor’s. “I’ve missed you...so much.” She shakes her head, placing her cheek against the young woman’s hair instead, just needing to have her as close as possible.

Charlie clears her throat, glancing away for a moment while the pair reunite. “I’m going to let the two of you be for a bit.” She knows they don’t hear her, but she offers Serena a reassuring pat on her back as she takes her leave, taking her own mother’s hand in the process as she passes her. “I need your eyes.” 

Bernie knows whatever it is must have her daughter worried to pull her away from Serena and Elinor. “Not a problem.”

“You know what this is, Charlie.” Raf starts to walk next to her. He vanishes, then pops up again closer to Charlie’s office. “She has all the signs.”

“Shut up.” Charlie mumbles.

Bernie furrows her brow, glancing over to babe at her shoulder, who is now rubbing her little face against her. She waits until the door closes behind them in the office before she speaks. “Are you hearing things?” She decides to carefully lie the toddler onto the sofa, knowing she’s set to wake soon anyway.

“Yes.” Raf grins, quite proud of himself from his sudden seat atop a filing cabinet. Not that Bernie would be able to hear him, but it’s true. 

Charlie shakes her head negatively, rushing behind her desk. She ignores her mother’s question as she races to open the file to look at the results of the CBC. She’s focused and tears are starting to form in the corners of her own eyes out of frustration with herself. “Come on.” She whispers to no one in particular.

“Charlie.” Bernie tries again, beginning to worry about her daughter. She moves closer to her, standing directly behind the younger woman.

“The system here is too slow.” She replies quietly, knowing fully well it’s the same system as in any hospital.

“What’s going on?” Bernie manages to pull her daughter away from being so close to her computer, looking into her eyes. She sees the young woman and her dampened eyes, “Charlie.” She tries again.

Charlie licks her lips, meeting her mother’s gaze, “I was too focused on...on reuniting Elinor and Serena that I neglected to properly look over Elinor’s CBC.”

“Okay, but why are you getting upset about-” Bernie begins to shake her head, not understanding.

“Because I...I think Elinor has Leukemia.” Charlie’s voice quiet, starting to tremble. “I haven’t...I haven’t said anything, but...all the signs are there and...” When she sees the computer screen change from the corner of her eye, she snaps her head over to look, lifting a hand to gesture, “clear as day. Moderate to advanced Leukemia.”

Raf sighs softly, “damn.” 

“Then we contact Oncology and we put her on the proper path.” Bernie only takes a brief glance to the computer screen, focusing most of her attention on her daughter. “Just like you would do with any other patient, right?” She brings her hand to Charlie’s chin, forcing the young woman to look at her again, “Right, Ms. Wolfe?” She wouldn’t dare do this with Cameron, their relationship was far more strained.

“Life expectancy of advanced Leukemia is five years. I just...” Charlie’s chin trembles, a tear trickling down her cheek, “Serena was so good to us when we thought you were...and I watched her almost die and I...”

“And there’s no way you could have known any of what’s going on.” Bernie watches the young woman, biting her lip a little, “you’re strong and so is Elinor.” She swallows, placing a hand on her daughter’s upper arm in an attempt to reassure her, “and now we’re a family and we help one another. No matter what.” She won’t go into how she once had taken her children and even her small family unit she had built with Serena for granted when she had gone away to Nairobi before. “That’s what families do.”

Charlie absently clenches her teeth as she leans in, hugging onto her mother suddenly. She closes her eyes, feeling the woman return her hug as well. She’s always wanted to hear her mother say something along the lines of that, almost her entire life. She won’t say anything about it though, knowing it would give the woman a complex.

“Bitty ‘pider, up ‘pout.” Guinevere sits on the sofa, singing along with her new friend.

“Down came the rain and washed the spider out.” Raf grins, laughing a little at the toddler who could, very obviously, see him. He’s never really met anyone, other than Charlie Wolfe, that could. “Beautiful singing, Guinevere.”

“Tank.” Gwen swings her legs a little, grinning to the man in the bright white pair of scrubs.

Charlie opens her eyes, feeling herself beginning to calm down by just her mother’s hold. They hadn’t noticed Guinevere wake. She watches the pair on the sofa, knowing how much it probably means to the man to finally have someone else that can see him, even if it is a toddler.

Bernie doesn’t want to let go, never feeling like she could ever show her children much emotion, but knowing that she has been unable to keep her heart surrounded in armor since she was allowed to return. That was the terms. “I love you so much. I don’t say that enough.” Now she feels herself starting to grow a bit soft, “I’m sorry.”

Shaking her head negatively, Charlie doesn’t want to let her mother go either, “don’t be.”

Cameron pushes the door to the office open, looking at the sight before him, “have the pair of you gone mad?” He walks into the office more, closing the door behind himself. He begins to close the blinds to the windows, “I mean...I know apples don’t fall far from the tree and all that, but-”

Bernie chortles a little to herself, finally letting her daughter go a bit. “Not yet. Just having a moment.”

“Is this...is this about Elinor?” Cam motions behind himself, abstractly. “Serena has just...the biggest smile on her face. I just peeked in on them. I’d say it was a team effort, I guess the two of you are just celebrating,” he nods toward Guinevere on the sofa, “all while being serenaded by a toddler.”

“Elinor has Leukemia.” Charlie answers simply, clearing her voice a little as she composes herself even more, “and I need to go and tell her about it.”

“Well, damn.” Cameron places his hands onto his hips, “that’s...”

  
“Yeah, it sucks.”

“I think we should...do it together.” Bernie glances between her children, “since this, as Dr. Dunn has put it in such a way already, has been a team effort.”

“No, ‘pider one.” Guinevere speaks to her friend next to her before launching into song again.

“And she can then serenade everyone.” Cameron tries to lighten the mood, able to tell that the discovery has really disappointed both of the women in his life. “You two are  _ the  _ worst sitters.” He teases a bit, amused when his mother gives him a dirty look.

“He obviously doesn’t hear my singing harmony.” Raf teases, smiling a little. He talks directly at the man, “this is a duo. Like...Captain and Tennille or...Sonny and Cher.” He pauses, “they were all married. Nevermind. We’re more like...”

“Kiki Dee and Elton John.” Charlie mumbles, earning a confused look from the other two adults in the room.

“Wonder if I could teach her that one.” Raf responds simply, glancing over to the girl. He notices her scowl, wanting him to sing  _ Itsy Bitsy Spider _ for the fourth time in a row, “I’m sorry, Lady Guinevere. It will never happen again.” He laughs a little to himself, singing with her and doing the hand motions right along with it.

Charlie clears her throat, shaking her head a bit. “Sorry. Just...a thing or seven hundred on my mind.” She lifts her head, glancing between her mother and brother, “I’m not going to...” She stops, thinking of what to say, “this is my patient. I’m going to go and talk with her about her diagnosis and treatment options. In fact, I should have never brought either of you into this and...” She sighs a little, “and I just...lost it for a moment. Something that just...shouldn’t happen.”

“It’s okay if it does sometimes. We aren’t machines.” Bernie shakes her head, hearing her son laugh from over her shoulder. “Keeping things locked up and festering doesn’t do anyone any good. Either causes one to explode on others, or explode yourself.”

“Well, the pun was not lost with that one.” Cameron sighs, glancing between the pair. “Charlie, this is your boat to paddle. We can’t force you into anything.” 

“Damn right.” Charlie smirks a little, clearing her throat. “Mum, I’ll finish up your things for today. Really it isn’t anything unable to do tomorrow...except for like, three of them, but it’s fine. You need to stay with Serena and Elinor.” When she notices the woman about to protest, “I do paperwork faster than you and it isn’t as if you like doing it anyway, so...” She shrugs, “Cam, other than coming in here to harass us, was there something you actually needed?”

Cameron nods, “My patient is in the middle of a diabetic stroke. Fletch and I are getting the sugars under control and anticoagulants running, but Darwin keeps giving me the run-around and-”

“I’ll phone Darwin for you. Naylor owes me a favor anyway.” Charlie raises an eyebrow with a smirk when her brother and mother give her confused expressions, “bar crawl blackmail is one hell of a useful thing. Don’t ask.”

“She’s back.” Cam rolls his eyes, moving to the entry door again and pulling it open.

“I believe the word you’re looking for is  _ ‘Thank you, Ms. Wolfe’. _ ” Bernie corrects her son, watching as he leaves. She smirks, rounding the desk to the opposite side herself, “Guinevere, ready to get back to Auntie Serena?”

“Bun, ‘pider.” Guinevere orders, still doing the hand movements with her new friend next to her. “Rap, ‘tay ‘pider.”

“Raf is singing the spider song with her.” Charlotte speaks for the young girl, knowing exactly what she’s saying because of the context. She licks her lips, watching her mother. “To answer the question you asked when we were walking in, so yeah...I guess you could say I hear voices.”

Bernie starts to smile, knowing that neither Guinevere or Charlotte would have any knowledge of the man. It would need to be of some sort of other worldly purpose that she would. Bernie looks at the empty space next to Guinevere, “you are the Elton John to Guinevere’s Kiki Dee.” Now she knows why her daughter said what she said before.

“Don’t listen to her, she’s never been good with music. She can’t even tell the difference between Cher and Dusty Springfield on the radio. Gets them confused every single time.’ Charlie tells the man, glad she didn’t need to be quiet about his existence, especially around her mother. She watches the man, “stick with her while she’s here, Raf. Sing the spider song another thirty times.”

“I’d love to.” Raf nods, looking to Guinevere, but pointing to Bernie, “let’s go and see Serena. Might be able to score some biscuits out of the deal...or chocolate.”

“Kay.” Guinevere stretches her arms up toward Bernie, wanting to be held by the woman.

Bernie smirks, gladly lifting the toddler in her arms and receiving a hug from her. “We’ll be with Serena.” She nods toward her daughter, hugging Guinevere in return as she exits the office herself.

“Bernie and Serena mean the world to that girl. She might not be able to say it yet, or she’ll be excited when one of her parents comes to collect her, but...she looks forward to spending time with them constantly.” Raf nods, “it’s why she learned Bernie’s name, because she mentions her constantly. Don’t tell her that though.”

“I don’t plan on it.” Charlie prints out the CBC report to have visuals for the tough discussion she’s about to have with the rest of her  _ family. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully Guinevere's toddler-speak isn't terribly hard to understand. lol.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie must deliver some bad news during a joyous occasion.
> 
> Elinor starts to remember a bit more.
> 
> Serena asks a million dollar question.

“I’m not an oncologist or...pretending to be a specialist in the field by any means-”

“But it’s obvious via the test results and physical symptoms.” Serena nods, setting the paper down atop the blankets at the foot of the bed. She hasn’t let go of Elinor’s hand since receiving the news of her survival. She swallows, slowly shifting her gaze to her daughter. “Are you okay?”

“It explains much.” Elinor answers softly, then gazes toward the consultant in front of her, “does that...does that mean I’m set to die?”

Charlie shakes her head negatively, “no. Doesn’t mean that at all. With treatment, there’s no reason you can’t experience a full life.” She wishes she wasn’t standing here alone for this, not aware her mother had taken a detour to get Guinevere something to nibble on until she stepped in the room to find her not there. “Luckily, you have a bunch of people who have your back and are here to support you no matter what.”

Elinor nods, not crying or anything of the sort. “Could it have been given to me?”

“Well...I mean...it’s not something we-” Charlie begins to shake her head again.

“He would...the man, he would inject me with things.” Elinor goes quiet, absently glancing to her arm. “Kept me immobile. He knew...what he had to do or give me to keep me from moving or running away.” Elinor swallows, lifting her head, “that’s why I ask.”

“I don’t know what you were given, neither do you. That’s the problem. I don’t know what sort of long term effects those drugs would have had.” Charlie tries to explain, “the only link is with Chloramphenicol, which is a...synthetic broad spectrum antibiotic that has been banned in a lot of countries for a variety of reasons. We, as a medically trained polulus, try not to prescribe it unless it’s in incredibly small doses or as an ointment. It doesn’t make sense for anyone to give that to you, especially in the large amount that would have been needed to _possibly_ develop a disease from it.”

“She had a brain trauma.” Serena says quietly, just watching Elinor’s face. Not to see a reaction, but just glad to see it in general. “If someone was...” She swallows, having a hard time with the idea as a whole, “if someone was experimenting, there’s no...reason they’d feel the need to follow common sense rules or medical training.”

“Agreed.” Charlie sighs softly, “but we don’t know for sure, so we can’t run with that theory as a definitive answer. Nor does it prove or aid anything or help in terms of a treatment.” She holds her hands up to calm the thought processes of the Campbell women. “Most times it’s just something that happens, as you well know, Serena.”

Serena nods a little, bringing a hand up to stroke her daughter’s cheek, smiling softly when the young woman looks to her. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll battle this head on, regardless.”

“Thanks.” Elinor answers softly. She shifts her gaze when the toddler runs into the room, pulling a taller blonde behind her. “Guinevere.” She starts to smile a bit.

“E’no.” Guinevere grins, all too familiar with the young woman. She’s seen her plenty of times as she’s grown. Tapping her aunt’s leg, she asks, “Hug E’no?” Guinevere pats the side of the bed. It isn’t as if this is a new person, but someone she had once seen on a daily basis.

Charlotte starts to grin, feeling a cold presence next to her, knowing it to be Raf. “Well, that’s adorable.”

Serena’s expression turns to a mixture of confusion and surprise. “Guinevere, you know Elinor?” She helps the girl climb into her own lap. Not wanting to have her hurt Elinor, she helps the toddler see the young woman resting under the covers. She’s seen many things that she’s thought impossible become true, especially within the past few months. Serena doesn’t know whether or not to ask  _ how _ at this point.

“Things become clearer and clearer to Elinor with each person that comes back into her life.” Raf explains, watching the sight before him, “she loved to visit wee Guinevere when she was...dead.” He smiles sadly, “she was absolutely heartbroken the day she realized the girl wouldn’t be able to see her anymore.” Raf tilts his head to the side, “I’m an imaginary friend with no prior connections, but with a direct relation...that means one must break with the kid starts to speak.”

Bernie stands on her daughter’s side, nudging her shoulder against the other. “Taking it well, I see.”

“Better than I thought they would.” Charlie huffs a soft smile.

“Ready?” Elinor smirks a little, holding her hands up before the girl even has the opportunity to demand anything of her, “ _ the itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout...” _

Bernie straightens up a little, starting to smile, “she taught it to her.”

Tapping the side of her nose, Charlie smirks. Glancing over to Serena, who is in complete awe of what she doesn’t completely understand, she takes a seat on the mattress at the foot of the bed. “Is there anyone in particular you’d like for me to phone?”

Serena swallows, wanting to have this moment forever. Just her, Elinor, and the rest of her small cobbled together family with Bernie Wolfe. However, she knows that her ex-husband is just as much Elinor’s parent as she is. “Uh...my...” She pauses, “Edward, my ex-husband. I fear if I were the one to drop him a bell, he’d think I was just...” She shakes her head, not wanting to finish the sentence or think back to when she was originally mourning her daughter.

“I’ll take care of it.” Bernie replies from behind her daughter. Though she wants to be present with the woman, she also doesn’t like to be the one to just sit around.

“Might be odd coming from his ex-wife’s girlfriend.” Raf curls his top lip, not caring if any of these women could actually hear him, Charlie Wolfe was more than enough.

“No, Mum, I’ll do it. I’m the attending physician. Besides, I’ve a few other calls I need to make today anyway.” Charlie answers quickly, “that way you can stay here...reintroduce yourself.” She pats Elinor’s leg through the blanket as she stands, “you just press your call button if you need anything. I’m sure they’ll be around for dinner orders soon enough, get something on your stomach.”

“I...” Elinor watches the woman, about her age, “thank you, for everything.”

“Just doing my job.” Charlie nods, winking to her before walking toward the doorway.

“And uh...”

Charlie turns, looking to her again, “yeah?” She’s patient, calm. A completely different person than what she just displayed in her office with her mother.

“If these two ever do get married,” Elinor smirks falling back into line with her behavior of long ago, “I’d be glad to call you my sister.”

“Well.” The golden brunette nods, glancing between her mother and Serena, “you two better get on with it then. Elinor and I have matching dresses to pick out and wear, hen nights to plan.” Charlie grins, finally leaving the room.

“The two of you, conspiring together already.” Serena is glad they get along quite honestly. The only Christmas they spent together only included Elinor making vast assumptions about the Dunn-Wolfe children and hardly bothering to speak to them. When Serena was grieving with Charlotte, when they believed Bernie to be gone, she thought that Charlie and Elinor may have gotten along, even been friends if Elinor had just tried a little.

“I’m ignoring them.” Bernie shrugs a little, blushing though she attempts to busy herself with, literally, anything else. She edges a seat against the foot of the bed, seeing the blood in the emesis basin, something Charlie probably forgot about. Bernie decides she should clean up the room a bit.

“Already acting like a married couple.” Elinor motions for Guinevere to cuddle up next to her. She notices the toddler carrying an unopen bag of chocolate chip cookies. “Want me to open that for you?” When the girl nods, she does so gladly. Though she’s weak, and it takes her a few attempts, she finally pushes through.

Bernie gives a soft, embarrassed chortle. “It isn’t as if we haven’t talked about it.”

Serena won’t reply that it was only because she was jealous that the military arrived at the hospital to speak to Cameron and not her. She won’t say that their withholding of information from her, because she wasn’t family or a partner, pained her to no end. “Yes, well-”

“So, what’s stopping you?” Elinor glances between the women, yawning to herself. “Fear? Embarrassment?”

“Absolutely not.” Serena responds quickly, maybe a little too quickly. It makes Bernie pause to look at her. The room falls silent, with exception of the crunching of cookies by Guinevere, who is also attempting to feed them to Elinor between bites. She watches the blonde after considering her own desires for a moment, “this has been the happiest day of my life, with exception to the day I was able to take my newborn daughter home.” She swallows, nodding a little, “so, Berenice Grizelda Wolfe-”

“That’s quite a name.” Elinor raises an eyebrow.

“Tell me about it.” Bernie mumbles, listening to her partner intently.

Serena licks her lips, standing once she feels Guinevere is secured on the bed enough with Elinor. She steps closer to her girlfriend, looking into her eyes as she takes her hands. “Will you marry me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had she not been on the drugs when she got older, I imagine she would have been far more likable. I mean...that's the case with a lot of habitual illegal drug users, isn't it?
> 
> I remember when Elinor caught wind that her mother was trying to tend to her grandmother alone and she showed up to hospital, just offering simple support for her mother. The warmth that came from her in that moment spoke volumes and THAT is the Elinor I draw this one from.
> 
> I mean, there weren't many instances she was seen. Four in Serena's total time at HC. So...just think about that for a moment.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie faces off against Adrienne.
> 
> Bernie attempts to explain to Elinor that she's been given another chance at life.

Shutting her office door behind herself, Charlie closes her eyes and sinks against it, just breathing. Her day is far from over, but she’s ready to be finished. She opens her eyes, noticing a woman in white sitting on her sofa, “So, you give her back...and you give her cancer. Your own granddaughter.”

“Double edged sword for everything where I come from.” Adrienne folds one leg over the other. Her dress is an old fashioned dress, a-line, white with lavender heather adorning the cloth, lavender belt around her waist. She looks about Serena’s age, if not a bit younger. However, there’s something about the old fashioned clothing that she always loved. Going to a place where your attire was able to change to anything you desired with just a snap of one’s fingers was a dream. “If I could have...sent her as perfect as the day she was born, I would have. Trust me.”

“I don’t know if I can.” Charlie clears her throat, “I’ve...I felt like I lost my mind today. Just...completely lost my marbles because I had to give her that news. You know that right?” When the woman fails to answer right away, she starts to push up off of the floor, moving around to her desk, “if it weren’t for Serena when Mum died, they’d have been burying me too. You know that.”

“All too well, dear.”

Charlie begins to chuckle bitterly, “Not only did you give her cancer, but you give her memories of being tortured.”

“That’s how I was able to give her back.” Adrienne leans her back against the back of the sofa, “I thought she was dead, cremated. I...I had her with me. I’d tend to her. I saw my Serena with ashes and...screaming at the void over something she couldn’t prevent.” She begins to explain, “but then...then I realized that...she wasn’t dead. Couldn’t be because of the...crying.” She shrugs, falling silent for a moment before continuing, “crying just isn’t...something we can do.”

The young surgeon furrows her brow, listening intently to the woman. “Do you know who tortured her?”

“Yes, of course. It was a doctor that worked here at one time by the name of John Gaskil. He thought he could...fix her.” Adrienne leans forward again, remaining comfortable though she’s posed perfectly on the sofa and doesn’t look comfortable in the least, “turns out he was able to wake her, but not in the way he thought he would. He kept her immobile. When he died, he went to the...warmer place, and the drugs he had administered to her in an attempt to keep her still...got out of her system.”

“Gaskil was a right bastard.” Raf shakes his head, sitting atop the cabinet again, watching the women. He had been watching for a bit, though he knows neither woman noticed him. “They just became engaged to be married, by the way. Wolfe and Campbell...Campbell and Wolfe.” He tilts his head to the side, “I wonder if Serena will take Bernie’s name or continue with the Campbell one...”

“That’s fantastic.” Charlie nods, then glances over toward the older woman again, “and you aren’t going to touch them, you hear? Their happiness is theirs. You keep your grubby little mitts off.”

“Wouldn’t dream of making them miserable again.” Adrienne makes an  _ X  _ symbol over her heart.

“Yeah, see, that doesn’t really hold much weight for us. I mean...we’re already dead.” Raf points out, his legs swinging a little, though they don’t make any noise as his heels hit the cabinet door. “Luckily, I get to stick around, being charming Charlie’s man in Havana.”

“I don’t want you to be my man in Havana. You’re fine as you are.” Charlotte smirks a tad, watching as he vanishes again. “He always sits there, on top of that succulent. I haven’t the heart to tell him he’s sitting on my plants.”

Raf returns to Elinor Campbell’s hospital room, checking on the engaged duo. They’re holding onto one another, tenderly. He does remember how nice Serena Campbell’s hugs were. He understands how Bernie could love them, and the woman, more than anything.

“Of course I will. I’m surprised it’s taken you so long to ask.” Bernie shakes her head, kissing her partner again before looking into her eyes as they part slightly. “I thought you didn’t want me.”

“You could have asked as well, you know.” Serena tilts her head to the side, watching her fiance as she continues to straighten up. There wasn’t much rubbish about the room, but Bernie finds whatever she can. Honestly, Serena’s waiting for Bernie to decide to organize the cupboards.

“Ric is going to have a field day with this.” Bernie takes a seat on top of the covers at the foot of the bed. She watches Guinevere, with her honey colored curls. “Reckon we make him the best man next to our boys.”

“Oh, Jason! I completely forgot about Jason.” Serena calls out, glancing at the man’s daughter just in front of her. “He’s going to have such a difficult time understanding all of this.”

“Who is Jason?” Elinor raises an eyebrow. The only time she’s able to remember anyone by name is if she sees them in front of her. She remembers Bernie Wolfe, and how much her mother cared for the woman. She doesn’t remember her father in the slightest, or much anyone else that she hasn’t seen today.

“So, you know Guinevere, but don’t remember Jason?” Serena’s brow knits between her eyes, then sighs, shaking her head a little to herself, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. This is all so...foreign to me still.” She pauses, “Jason is Guinevere’s father. When you were originally injured, he-”

“He was also injured.” Bernie cuts her off, wanting the woman to control the room a bit more. If Elinor isn’t going to remember nearly killing her mother, she wasn’t going to let Serena be the one to remind her. There’s only a few people able to see through her white lies, luckily Elinor Campbell wasn’t one of them. “Jason is fine now. Just your average over protective husband and father. He’s come a very long way.”

Elinor nods a little, watching the toddler still as she listens to the room around her. “I have much to remember, it seems.”

“Don’t look at it like that.” Bernie shakes her head, “because the you that you used to be isn’t here anymore. This is another chance to forge your own path, have the relationships with your loved ones that you wish you had the first time, buy Guinevere every piece of designer baby clothing you can get your hands on.”

Raising an eyebrow, Elinor lifts her gaze to watch the wondrous face of Bernie Wolfe, “you say all this as if I was horrendous before.”

“Nothing of the sort.” Serena attempts to clarify her partner’s words.

“Not horrendous. You were spoiled and unappreciative. You loved it when your parents were at odds with one another.” Bernie doesn’t hold back, doesn’t really see the need to. “However, through some...divine intervention, you’ve been given another opportunity to fix who you were as a person. The young woman I know you’re able to be.” She smiles a tad, “the young woman who held onto her Mum on the sofa whilst they watched  _ It’s a Wonderful Life _ on Christmas Eve years ago.”

Elinor’s eyes shift to watch her mother, offering her a soft smile, “well, we can watch it as many times as you want.” She pauses, shrugging, “it will be a brand new thing to me all over again anyway.”

“I-I-I haven’t touched your room since you went to Uni.” Serena’s voice cracks a little with her stutter as she reaches over, taking her daughter’s hand again, “I’d go in to sit sometimes after stressful days...it still smells of your perfume. I feared for the day where it no longer would.”

“I...I haven’t a place to stay.” Elinor bites her bottom lip, “I was...I was sleeping rough.”

“You haven’t anything to worry about with regard to that.” Serena answers confidently, “you’ll live with Bernie and I...in your room that has always been your room.” She reaches up, gently stroking the young woman’s brunette hair, “you have clothing there as well, but I’ll be happy to supply you with whatever you require.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” Elinor replies softly. This is all too good to be true. Any second now, she’ll receive another injection and he’ll be there, laughing at her smile from a good dream.

“You aren’t asking, we’re offering. You’re family.” Bernie answers confidently, folding her arms over her chest. “Hell, you’ve already claimed Charlie as your sibling. Just wait until you meet the boys.”

“The...the one with the dark, messy hair...I heard him and Charlie...talking. Is he related?” Elinor raises a hopeful eyebrow. Really, he was quite handsome, if it weren’t for that hair. It would be awkward for her to flirt with the man if he was also set to become her step-brother.

“That’d be my son, Cameron.” Bernie nods, watching the young woman’s disappointed sigh. She smirks to herself, “It’s okay. I’m certain he’d like the attention from you as well.” Bernie holds her arms out when Guinevere slides to the foot of the bed, gathering the girl up onto them. “Reckon she probably wants a change of scenery. I’m going to get changed, my shift is just about over.” Bernie nods to the Campbell women, carrying Guinevere as she takes to the hallway.

“One moment.” Serena gives her daughter a quick smile, following after her partner, “Bernie.” She calls, causing the blond to turn around. Once Serena reaches her, she places her hands on either side of the woman’s face, leaning in to kiss her tenderly. The kiss lasts a minute or so, long enough for them both to be gasping for air when they part.

“What was that for?” Bernie has a sly grin on her face, “not that I’m complaining, quite the contrary.”

“Thank you...for coming back to me.” Serena swallows, “I know that if you didn’t kick it off, I wouldn’t have Elinor back either.” She leans in, a soft peck on her partner’s lips, “time and time again, you make me the happiest woman in the world.” Serena pauses, hearing a soft applause in her ear, she turns her head toward the sound.

“Bewy good.” Guinevere claps, still holding a cookie in one of her hands, which is now crumbling apart onto Bernie’s scrub top and into the chest pocket. “Mena kit Bun ‘gain.” She demands, scowling when she receives confused looks. Shoving the rest of the cookie into her mouth, she places a hand on each of her elder’s heads, moving them closer to one another.

“Oh, kiss.  _ Serena kiss Burnie again _ .” Serena giggles softly against Bernie’s lips before appeasing the toddler, only receiving another round of applause from Guinevere.

“Good job, Guinevere.” Raf watches the couple, glad his friends are able to be truly happy. Especially Serena with all the hardships she’s had to face. He raises a hand to his cheek when he feels something trickling down from his eye, pulling it away, he notices a wetness on his finger tips, “a tear?” Raf furrows his brow, “strange.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a whole lot of fun. Thank you all for reading. <3


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